Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to the public purse of replacing her Department's funded assistive listening devices, such as radio aids used by deaf children in schools, in the event that such devices suffer from interference as a result of the release of the 2.35 to 2.39 GHz spectrum bands.

Under the Equality Act, schools and local authorities are required to provide auxiliary aids when it would be reasonable to do so and if such an aid would alleviate any substantial disadvantage that the pupil faces in comparison to non-disabled pupils.

We are protecting the core schools budget in real terms throughout this Parliament, enabling a per pupil protection for the dedicated schools grant, which includes funding for high needs. Local authorities have also received an additional £92.5m high needs funding as part of their dedicated school grant this year, which will help them meet the costs of special educational needs and disability provision in their area.

The Office of Communications (OFCOM) is managing the release of the 2.35 to 2.39 GHz spectrum bands. OFCOM have carried out careful tests of listening devices and sought evidence from across the deaf community to ensure these devices will not be affected by future mobile signals.